Human worms: symptoms, treatment, and prevention

helminthiasis- This is a worm infection. Registered mainly in children and adults in warm and humid countries. Boys and girls aged 5-15 years are at high risk due to lack of awareness of the outside world, low immune reactivity and insufficiently low stomach pH. Target organs—liver, kidney, lung. The main habitat is the gastrointestinal tract.Parasites pass through damaged mucous membranes and skin or contaminated water and food. In the digestive system, young individuals enter the bloodstream through the destroyed walls.

Initially, the worms enter the intestines, grow for 40-80 days, and gradually transform into adult worms, which later in their development lay eggs that are excreted in the feces.

disease cause

A person becomes infected after consuming contaminated food and water or coming into contact with dirty soil. An individual is transmitted from one person to another through common objects (plates, toothbrushes, towels, forks, spoons, toys).Triggers include failure to observe hygiene rules, improper food preparation (cooking meat and fish at low temperatures), and adhering to a raw food diet.Eggs are brought by pets who are often outside.

Type of worm

Parasites are divided into the following categories based on how they are present in the environment:

• touch. Transmitted from person to person.
• Geoworm disease. No intermediate host is required for development; the habitat is soil.
• Biological helminthiasis. Life requires at least two living things.

More than 350 species of parasites are known to science. The following are dangerous:

• Nematodes (roundworms) are the cause of roundworms and nematodes.
• Spinyheads (acanthocephalans) – Disease: Spinyheads.
• Trematodes (trematodes) – cause opiodiasis and fascioliasis.
• Cestodes – Tapeworm, Echinococcus.

The worms live in the intestines, lungs and gallbladder.

clinical picture

Symptoms depend on the type of worm, the organs affected, the patient's anatomical and physiological characteristics, and immunity.Traffic options:

1. acute.Duration – 2-8 weeks.Toxic syndrome and allergy are common: weakness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, feeling of lack of air, bloating and abdominal pain. Its pathological symptom is bruxism (teeth grinding). Mainly occurs at night. Local changes are possible - redness and inflammation of the perianal area.
2. chronic.Duration - several years.Patients worry about uncomfortable bowel movements, lower abdominal pain, sour or bitter burps, indigestion, and intolerance to certain foods. Damage to the liver and gallbladder can lead to jaundice (changes in skin color) and hepatitis. Nematodes can cause bronchitis, pneumonia, respiratory failure and inflammation of the heart muscle. Penetration into the central nervous system is accompanied by mood swings, irritability, difficulty remembering new information, and insomnia.

Helminthosis reduces immune reactivity and promotes the accumulation of secondary flora, dental caries, severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock), and exacerbation of concomitant conditions.

complication

The parasite's waste products can cause local symptoms (itching, hives), pneumonia, heart disease and bronchial asthma. Worms feed on macronutrients in humans, which can cause psychomotor and mental retardation in children's development. Whipworms use red blood cells and hemoglobin, causing anemia. When there is a massive infection, patients can develop appendicitis, dysbiosis, frequent bile duct obstruction, and intestinal obstruction.

diagnosis

At the first symptoms, you should consult a professional specialist or therapist.Determine enlargement of the spleen, liver, and regional lymph nodes by palpation. In CBC, the number of eosinophils increases and the ESR increases.To verify diagnosis and control treatment, do the following:

• Scrape from the perianal area;
• Examination of biological materials (vomitus, urine, sputum, feces);
• co-programming;
• Allergy testing.

The severity and extent of pathological changes are detected by chest X-ray, ultrasonography, contrast computed tomography, MRI, gastroscopy, and colonoscopy.Diagnosis of helminthiasis is difficult due to irregular egg release, loss of antibodies 2-3 months after infection, and diversity of clinical manifestations.

treat

The patient's management strategy is determined by the doctor after consultation.Medical treatment involves choosing an anthelmintic drug based on symptoms and worm type.Bronchopulmonary manifestations can be treated with steroids, expectorants, antihistamines and antispasmodics. Probiotics can restore normal gut microbiota, and enzymes can improve digestion. Surgery is performed to remove the cyst.After 3-4 weeks, perform 3 control stool tests.

prevention

The following tips can help prevent worm infections:

• Wash your hands after using the toilet, after returning from a walk, and before eating.
• Say no to bad habits.
• Rinse vegetables, apples, oranges under the tap.
• Process the product correctly.
• Drink boiled water.
• Active lifestyle.

Pharmacological prophylaxis (adults, children, pets) with non-specific anthelmintics twice a year.